The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-02-12
WOMEN FENCERS.
why They Use the Foils and How
They Do 1t.
An Effective Aid to Beauty and Health
Popularity of Fencing In Europe
Mrs. Langtry an Expert In
the Art.

t'Ah, madam, you will never make a
fencer until you abandon those abomi-
nable heels" So saying the polite
fencing-master laid aside his mask and
pointed his foil, half scornfully, half
sadly, at the little blocks which pro-
iected from point near the middle of
the soles of his pupils slippers, and
which had just tripped her up in a
lunge. Even in her humiliating posi-
tion-for she had completely lost her
balance-the little actress whose fenc-
ing lesson was thus unreasonable inter
rupted, presented an uncommonly pleas
ing picture. Her cheek was flushed
and her eyes were bright with the ex-
hilaration of the exercise; the violence
of the last lunge and its disastrous
result had seta few locks of golden hair
free, and the close-ftting costume dis
played figure every line of which told
of health and harmonious muscular de-
velopment.
The costume was certainly one which
would have gained the young woman
applause on the stage. 1t consisted of
n white flannel jacket. double-breasted
and padded across the chest to deadeB
the force of her assailant's thrusts. A
short skirt, with blue and white stripe,
reaching just to the knees allowed the
fullest freedom of movement. A pair
of silk stockings, gloves with long
gauntlets that protected the wrists, and
the slippers with the offending heels
completed the costume.
AS may be supposed the pupil did not
have much difficulty in placating the
offended master, and the lesson went
on. But in future the high heels were
discarded and in their place came slip
pers without any heels at all, which are
the only proper foot-gear for either man
or woman while fencing. Soon the
master was able to say with triumph of
his pupil: "She handles the foil as nat
urally as if it were needle. There are
not many of my male pupils against
whom would not match her, if she
had their strength. It's pity that
more women don't fence / like to
teach them. Their movements are nat
uraily more graceful than those of men,
and it is easier to train them to execute
thrusts with delicacy, but when itcomes
TO an actual bout with the foils they
lose their heads. Goodness and judg-
ment are the essential characteristics of
good swordsman, and my experience
in teaching women is that these are
qualities which women do not possess
in any high degree"
The number of women who handle
the foils is larger than is generally sup
posed. Even in New York where fenc-
ing has become a popular amusement
only within the last few years, fencing
masters find plenty of female pupils, al
though these are generally actresses.
Actresses are credited-probably justly
with taking more care of their beau
ty than any other class of women. Now,
women who are really careful of their
beauty should not neglect their health,
and no exercise is more healthful than
fencing. 1t makes the carriage erect
aud graceful; it gives suppleness and
elasticity to the muscles, it has the ex-
hilaration that makes exercise palatable
in fact, if woman prizes clear
skin and well-rounded figure, foil
and mask will prove her most eff
ective aids; and this the young women
of the stage have not been slow to dis
cover.
Then again it not infrequently hap
pens that an actress is assigned to some
part that requires her to make dis
play of workmanship on the stage.
Then she goes to fencing-master and
after few lessons she is able to make
Il graceful exhibition out of what would
otherwise have been q bungling and
uncouth scene.
In Continental Europe the women are
more fully awake to the advantages of
fencing than they are in this country.
The Empress of Austria, whose daring
hormanship, love for dogs, and general
sporting proclivities are so we'll known,
odds an admirable proficiency with the
fOils tc her ether accomplishments. All
the fencing teachers of Paris have their
feminine pupils, who are by no means
restricted to the actresses. Young
women of the highest classes in society
fence as regularly as they ride or dance.
In fact, if it were not for fencing lesson
N the morning many of them would 1eel